Ferrero Rocher Puff Pastry Snowballs - Leftover Pastry Recipe

These little beauties are PURE HEAVEN! If you've got leftover puff pastry from making sausage rolls or a tart, this is the BEST way to use it up. Crispy golden puff pastry balls filled to the brim with homemade chocolate hazelnut spread that tastes EXACTLY like Ferrero Rocher! They're sweet, indulgent, absolutely delicious, and they look like little festive snowballs dusted with icing sugar. 

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
• Total Time: 20-25 minutes
• Serves: Makes 15-20 balls (depending on size)
• Difficulty: Easy
• Special Equipment: Food processor or blender, baking tray

This is honestly one of the BEST ways to use up that last bit of puff pastry that's sitting in your fridge! You know when you make sausage rolls or a tart and you don't quite need the whole sheet? This is the perfect recipe for those leftovers. The beauty of these puff pastry balls is that it really doesn't matter what shape your leftover pastry is - you're cutting it into squares and rolling them into balls, so wonky shapes are absolutely fine! The filling is where the magic happens - if you've got a jar of Nutella lurking in the cupboard, you could absolutely use that and these would still be incredible. But making your own chocolate hazelnut spread takes literally 5 minutes and tastes SO MUCH BETTER than the stuff in the jar. Just roast some hazelnuts, blitz them up with cocoa powder, maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and a shake of cinnamon, and you've got this rich, crunchy, chocolatey filling that's absolutely DIVINE. When you wrap it in puff pastry and bake it, the pastry goes golden and crispy on the outside while the filling stays melty and gooey on the inside. Rolling them in milk before baking helps them get that gorgeous golden colour and makes the icing sugar stick beautifully at the end. Perfect for the end of a party meal when everyone wants something sweet but not too heavy!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Uses up leftover pastry: Perfect for that last bit of puff pastry in the fridge
• Tastes like Ferrero Rocher: That chocolate hazelnut filling is YUM
• Homemade filling: So much better than shop-bought and you know what's in it
• Ready in 20 minutes: Quick enough for last-minute sweet treats

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Hazelnut Filling:

• 100g hazelnuts (skin on or off, doesn't matter)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey)
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Puff Pastry Balls:

• 1 sheet puff pastry (about 220g), or leftover pastry
• 2-3 tablespoons milk (for brushing)
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Toast the hazelnuts: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas Mark 4). Spread the hazelnuts on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes until they're golden and fragrant. Let them cool for a few minutes. If they have skins and you want to remove them, rub them in a tea towel while they're still warm - the skins will come right off

2. Make the chocolate hazelnut spread: Add the toasted hazelnuts to a food processor or high-speed blender. Blitz for 1-2 minutes. I prefer it a little chunky so its more of a paste then a spread. Add the cocoa powder, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Blitz again until you have a spreadable paste. It should be thick but spreadable - add a tiny bit more maple syrup if it's too thick. Taste and adjust - you might want more sweetness or more cocoa. 

3. Prepare the puff pastry: Roll out your puff pastry sheet (or piece of leftover pastry) on a lightly floured surface. Don't worry if it's a funny shape - you're cutting it into squares anyway! Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into squares roughly 4-6 cm each. 

4. Add the filling: Place about 1 teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut filling in the center of each pastry square. Don't overfill or they'll burst when baking!

5. Form the balls: Bring all four corners of each square up and over the filling, pinching and twisting at the top to seal it completely. Then gently roll each one in your hands to make it more ball-shaped. They don't need to be perfect - rustic is fine and they'll puff up beautifully anyway!

6. Brush with milk: Pour the milk into a shallow bowl. Roll each pastry ball in the milk to coat all over. This helps them turn golden brown in the oven.

7. Arrange on tray: Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Place the pastry balls on the tray, spaced apart so they have room to puff up. Pinched side can be facing up, down, or sideways - they'll look great whatever way!

8. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is puffed, golden brown, and crispy. They should have risen beautifully and smell absolutely AMAZING.

9. Dust with icing sugar: Let the balls cool for just 2-3 minutes (so they're still warm but not scorching hot), then dust generously with icing sugar using a small sieve or tea strainer. The icing sugar creates that beautiful snowy effect!

10. Serve warm: These are absolutely BEST served warm.

Chef's Tips

Toast hazelnuts properly: Make sure they're golden and fragrant - this brings out the most amazing nutty flavour

Don't overfill: Less is more with the filling - overfilled balls will burst and leak in the oven

Seal well: Make sure you pinch and seal the pastry properly so no filling escapes during baking

Milk wash essential: Rolling in milk (not just brushing) ensures an even golden colour all over

Nutella shortcut: If you can't be bothered making the hazelnut spread, just use shop-bought Nutella!

Make ahead option: You can form the balls and refrigerate them for up to 4 hours before baking

Substitutions & Variations

Shop-bought Nutella: Use Nutella or any chocolate hazelnut spread instead of making your own

Different nuts: Use almonds, pecans, or mixed nuts instead of hazelnuts

Chocolate chips: Tuck a few dark chocolate chips into the filling for extra gooeyness

Orange zest: Add a tiny bit of orange zest to the filling for a chocolate orange vibe

Peanut butter: Use smooth peanut butter mixed with cocoa for a peanut butter cup version

Filo pastry: If you have filo instead of puff, layer 3-4 sheets, brush with butter, cut and fold

Vegan version: Use vegan puff pastry (most brands are accidentally vegan!) and replace maple syrup ensures it stays vegan

Storage & Reheating

Best served warm: These puff pastry balls are absolutely delicious when served warm.

Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The pastry will soften but they're still delicious.

Reheating: Reheat in a preheated oven at 180°C for 5-7 minutes until warmed through and the pastry crisps up again. Don't microwave - it makes the pastry soggy!

Make ahead: You can form the balls, wrap them well, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours before baking. Or freeze them unbaked.

Freezing: Freeze the unbaked balls on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. Bake from frozen, adding 5 extra minutes to the baking time.

Dust just before serving: If reheating, dust with fresh icing sugar just before serving as it can absorb into the pastry over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use shop-bought chocolate spread? A: Absolutely! Nutella or any chocolate hazelnut spread works brilliantly if you don't want to make your own.

Q: My balls burst in the oven. What happened? A: You probably overfilled them or didn't seal them properly. Use less filling and make sure you pinch all the edges closed.

Q: Can I make these ahead? A: Yes! Form the balls and refrigerate for up to 4 hours, or freeze them unbaked and bake from frozen (add 5 minutes).

Q: What if I don't have maple syrup? A: Use honey, agave nectar, or even golden syrup. Any liquid sweetener works!

Q: Can I skip the milk wash? A: You could, but it really helps them get that gorgeous golden colour.

Q: My hazelnut paste is too thick. Help! A: Just add a tiny bit more maple syrup or a splash of neutral oil to loosen it up until it's spreadable.

Q: Can I use a different shape? A: Absolutely! You could make them into crescents, parcels, or even turnovers. The ball shape is just fun and festive!

Q: How do I remove hazelnut skins easily? A: Toast the hazelnuts first, then rub them in a clean tea towel while they're still warm. Most skins will come off. But honestly, leaving them on is fine!

You Might Also Like

Chocolate Christmas Cookies - Another brilliant chocolate treat perfect for the festive season!

Christmas Mince Pies - If you love sweet pastry treats, try these classic festive pies!

Candied Orange Peel with Chocolate - Another chocolate and fruit combination that's absolutely divine!

Enjoy!

Del x

These Ferrero Rocher puff pastry balls are the ULTIMATE way to use up leftover puff pastry! Crispy golden pastry filled with homemade chocolate hazelnut spread, dusted with icing sugar like little festive snowballs. Serve them warm and prepare for everyone to ask for seconds!